Motor or engine.



H'. Hl TURNER.

MOTORl 0B ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DECJ. |915.

Patente Aug. 1.3, 1918.

l 4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. H. TURNER.

MOTOR 0R ENGINE. APPLICATION HLED'DECJ, 1915.

Patented Aug. 1.3, 1.918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. H. TURNER.

MOTOR OR ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.7, IQIs.

Patend Aug. 13, 1918.l

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

MMM @y @4., gmwmmaffy, l

Y l .-Lw 5.

H. H. TURNER. MOTOR OR ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.7, I9I5.

J, ,275,503 Patented Aug. 13, 1918 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT orales.

HAROLD H. TURNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Moron. on ENGINE.

Application filed December 7, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HAROLD H. TRNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motors or Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to prime movers in which the combustion and explosion of an explosive within a confined chamber acts upon a body, of mercury or other suitable liquid in said chamber to force such liquid through a passageway including a turbine casing and produces rotation of the turbine therein, the liquid, after passing through the turbine passages being again conducted to the explosion chamber, and the cycle of operations repeated in the continued operation of the engine. In my pending application filed September 22, 1915, Serial No. 52017r` I have described one type of engine operating in this manner in which the operating body of liquid passes always through one and the same turbine chamber (although two turbine wheels, each operated by an independent body of mercury, are preferably employed to produce a symmetrical operation of theengine), and in the present application will be described a. type of engine in which the body of liquid is driven from one combustion or explosion chamber, by the gases produced by the combustion of the fuel. through one turbine chamber into a similar and adjoining combustion chamber, and by a succeeding explosion is returned through a second turbine chamber to the. first-mentioned combustion chamber.

The object of my present invention is the production of a motor having the mode of operation indicated, and which shall be simple and eiiicient and embody various features of novelty and utility which inhere in the construction hereinafter described and will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Of the drawings Figui-e1 represents a 'vertical section taken on the line 1 1 of Fig.

2 centrally through one combustion chamber. in the plane of rotation of the turbine wheel; Fig. Q is a vertical section taken on the'broken iine 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a top view of the intermediate casing member and partition inset therein. the turbine casing being. removed; Fig. 4 is a section on the Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

Serial No. 65,482.

line 4 4 of Fig. l, illustrating the construcried thereby; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the engine, partly broken away and shown in section; Fig. 6 is a top plan view; Fig. 7 is a. horizontal section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a vertical section centrally of the distributing valve, on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a side view of the motor, showing a modified form of valve embodying a carbureting piston, with connections for operating such piston; Fig. 9a is a top plan view showing such connections; Fig. -10 is a vertical section-of such valve, onv the broken line 10 10 of Fig. 11; Fig. 11 is a vertical section of the same, at right angles to the planes of Fig. 10 andon the line 11 11 of such figure; Fig. 12` is a1 front view of the connections for operating the carbureting piston; Fig. 13 is a side view (the'base plate at the side being removed) of an electric switch governing the leXplosions of vapor; Fig. 14 is a central-cross section of the same; Fig. 15 is a View, similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of engine in which four turbine wheels are used; and Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing aniodified arrangement of ports and passages necessary to effect explosions in the four explosion chambers of the four-turbine engine shown in Fig. 15.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures of the drawing.

-The casing of my motor may be formed of any suitable or convenient number of members formed to inclose the passageway's for the body of mercury, and arranged to support the movable elements, and may be supported upon a suitable base or attached to any stationary or movable structure not illustrated, according to the use to which it is put. in the embodiment shown the chambers 1, 1a in which the explosions occur are formed in an intermediate casting A, andthe turbine chambers Q, 2a are formed in an upper casting B secured firmly by bolts to the casting A. The lower parts of the outer wall of the casting A are made hollow, and a lower casting C bolted to such outer wall and constituting an extension of it provides a water jacket space 3 surrounding the explosion chambers. The partitlon between these two chambers is made hollow or double. to permit circulation of water between them, and two pipe connections 4 10a. These pipes are firmly secured to such casting and to a partition plate 11 which is seated on a beveled seat formed' around the inside of the wall of the casting A at its top. The bottom of the partition plates, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, is inclined downwardly in two different planes, separated by a vertical central wall 12 continuous with va ,central wall or partition 13 which separates the two turbine chambers and is in alinement with the center of the hollow partition separating the explosion chambers 1 and 1a. The inclined wall 14 .above the explosion "chamber 1, together' with the side wall 15 and central partition 13' inclose an approximately triangular chamber which at the top communicates with the bottom of the turbine chamber 2, and at the bottom extends between downwardly inclined walls 16 and 17 to a chamber 18 lying above the explosion chamber-51"".

\ An upwardly opening check valve 18a is arranged in the top wall of this chamber, the space thereabove opening into the explosion chamber 1i through a triangular shaped outlet 19 in a partition 2O which extends transversely of the walls 15 and 12 and a wall 2 1 opposite the wall 15 and above the outer side of the explosion chamber 1a. The inclined wall 22 lying'y above and limiting such ex-l plosion chamber 1nl is more sharply inclined than the wall 14, and at its right hand end (as viewed in Fig. 1) isA continuous with the lower wall of an inclined passage 23 which extends transversely downward to a chamber 24 lying between the transverse partition 20 before mentioned and a wall 25 parallel thereto. A partition wall 26 between the walls 13 and 21 and oppositely inclined to the partition wall 22 extends from the vertical cross partition 20 to the vertical end wall 27 of the partition structure. An upwardly opening check valve 2 8 is arranged in the upper wallof the chamber 24 to a space 29 which opens at its rear, that is, through the wall 25, into the explosion chamber 1 of the motor. The turbine chamber 2a communicates at its bottom with the irregular space between the walls 13 and 15 and above the inclined walls 22 and 26 which through the check valve 28 communicates with the explosion chamber 1. From the foregoing description it will readily be understood that a body of mercury driven from either eX- plosion chamber through the turbine chamber with which it is in communication through the pipe 6 or 7, as the case 'may be, will pass through the check valve governing the outlet passage from said turbine chamber. into the opposite explosion chamber, but that passage of fluid pressure in the opposite direction will be prevented.

The devices and means by which explosive vapor is introduced and discharged in the explosion chambers, and the'spent products of combustion discharged, will next be described. For this purpose, where a reservoir of gas under pressure may conveniently be made use of, I have devised one form of distributing valve, illustrated more particularly in'Figs. 5 to 8, while for situations where it may be desired to directly carburet and compress the charges of vapor as they are used I have devised a modified form of valve illustrated in Figs. 9 to 12. v

Referring first to Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, the

valve box or casing 30 for distributing theA explosive vapor is secured to the front of the engine (on the righthand side, as viewed in Fig. 5), near the upper level ofthe explosion chambers, and within this valve box 1s arranged the reciprocating slide valve 31,

having on its under face a channel 32 extending to the. opposite ends of the valve. In one extreme position of the valve (to the left of the position as shown in Fig. 8), the port 35 is uncovered and in communication with the inlet port 33, while the port 34 is in communication, through a-bridging channel 37 in the' top wallof-the valve, with an exhaust port 38, and inthe other extreme position such supply and exhaust connections are reversed. In one intermediate position of the valve, partwaybetween center position and extreme position in the direct1on first delos scribed, (illustrated in Fig. 8) the port 35 will be closed, but the port 34 will remain in communication with the exhaust port. In a second intermediate position (to the right, as viewed in Fig. 8) partway between the other extreme position and center position, the port 34 will be closed and the port 35 be at the same time connected with exhaust. From the ports 34 and 35, passages numbered on the drawings 34a and 35a, respectively extend rearwardly through the casi-ng and communicate with the explosion chambers 1 and l*L through the elongated ports 34b and 35h. Sparking plugs 39 and 40 adjacent such ports are seated in and close the rear ends of the passages 34a and 35a. Insulated conductors carried by theseplugs terminate in electrodes 41 and 42 which are double convex in cross-section, the pointed ends of such electrodes extending nearly to the walls ofthe passages 34a and 35", which walls are electrically connected to the other pole of the source of electric current and complete the circuit for the spark.

By means hereinafter described a spark is caused at the spark plug 40 as soon as the valve has shifted to the first intermediate position above mentioned, the valve remaining stationary for a time while an explosion takes place in the chamber l, (which has' previously been charged with gas) and whileV exhaustion of the contents of the chamber 1 takes place through the passage 34a and 'exhaust passage, after which the valve shifts to extreme righthand positlon-J- as viewed in Fig. 8-when excess pressure in chamber 1a will be. instantly relieved through the passage 35 and exhaust port while gas under pressure will be admitted through the port 34 and ll the passage 34n and upper partof the chamber 1, and the valve then shifts back to the second intermediate position, in which such` port 34 '1s shut ofi' from the supply of vapor under pressure and where it dwells while an explosion is caused in the chamber 1 by the spark Vplug 39, the chamber 1a being meanwhile wheel 47 driven by a pinion 48 carried by the main shaft carrying the turbine wheels of the motor. The outline of the cam slot and arrangement of the parts may be such that the valve will remain stationary at each of its intermediate positions about one-third of a revolution of the cam disk, and each traverse from one intermediate position and back to the second intermediate position will occupy about one-sixth of a revolution of such disk, though considerable variations from this turning of the valve movements may be necessary in engines of varying proportions and designed to run at different speeds.

While it will be understood that any suit.- able sparking system connected so as to be operated by a moving part of the engine may be used to cause sparks at the spark plugs 39 and 40 at the proper instants, I lave illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 a rotary switch suitable for the purpose. This switch consists of a fiber casing 49 secured to the casing of the engine, surrounding the cross-shaft 46 and equipped with binding posts 5G and 51 for electrically connecting conductors connected with the spark plugs with diametrically opposite spring contact members 52 and 53. `These 4members are arranged to coperate with ^a rotating contact member consisting of a metal roller 54 mounted between a pair of metal rings 55 and 56 secured to the opposite faces of a fiber disk 57 at the edges thereof, which disk is mounted to rotate with the shaft 46 within the casing. The ring'56 coperates with a metal spring pressed roller 58 carried by the casing and electrically connected by conductor 59 with one pole of the source of electric current, the other pole being connected to the frame or casing of the engine, which thus serves as a ground. It is evident that at each revolution of the shaft 46 the circuit will be made and broken once at each contact, and the arrangement is such that this causes a spark at the proper moment in the associated explosion chamber, each of which is charged with gas once at each revolution of the cam disk 45 mounted upon the same shaft.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of valve which is associated with a piston arranged to compress and supply charges of gas through the valve in synchronism with its movements. In this'arrangement, the ports 60, 61 (corresponding to the ports 34 and 35, respectlvely) are uncovered by the valve 67 at the limit of its stroke in opposite directions.'

Opposite the ports 60 and 61 and in the lower wall of the valve box are ports 63 and 62 opening into opposite ends of the piston chamber, and relief passages or channels formed in the lower face of the valve afford constant communication between the ends ofthe valve chamber and adjacent ends of the piston chamber. As the valve uncovers the port 61 it `permits free and directcommunication from the adjacent ,end of the piston chamber through the port 62 and said port 61 into the explosion chamber 1,'and at the other end of its traverse it simultaneously uncovers the ports 60 and 63 and permits passage of gas fromthe opposite end of the clamber into the chamber l. Theflower opposite ends of thepiston chamber are provided with check valves 64 and 65 communicating in common with a supply pipe through which explosive vapor is drawn. This supply pipe may be connected to any suitable carbureter for furnishing a supply of carbureted vapor, or a reservoir of gas and regulating apparatus for supplying with the gas a proper proportion of air to form an explosive mixture. The piston 66 is reciprocate-d by means to be hereinafter described, and the arrangement and adjustment of parts is such that a charge of vapor drawn through the valve 64 into one end of the cylinder at a stroke of the piston in one direction will be compressed to its maximum pressure by a stroke in the oppo site direction just as the valve 67 uncovers the ports 61 and 62 5 and inlikelnanner the EST AVAILABLE COF" left screw-thread G9 which coperates with an internal thread within the hub of a. sprocket wheel 70 mounted to rotate in a.

fixed bearing on the casing or frame of the motor. The piston rod has a splined engagement with the motor frame, preventing any rotary movement from being communicated to it by the sprocket wheel, and at,

opposite ends of the screw threads Ais provided with springs 71 and 72, bearing against collars secured to it. The sprocket wheel 7() is rotated by a sprocket chain 7 3 traveling around a second sprocket wheel 7 t carried by the main shaft of the motor` and acting in a well-known manner upon the threads ontlie piston rod causes it to reciprocate. The gearing and adjustment. of the valve-67 and piston 6G are such that they will be operated in synchronism in the inaniier before described.

In order to save any mercury that may be volatilized in the continued operation ot' the engine the products of combustion are conducted from the exhaust port 38 through the pipe 75 through a condensing apparatus consisting of a tank of water 76 provided with bafiie plates 77, the pipe 75 opening into said tank at. its bottom, so that the spent products will follow a tortuous course through the water and the niercuric vapor be condensed and settle to the bottom, where it may be drawn off from time to time.

In the modied form of 4engine shown in Figs. 15 and 1G, the explosion chambers 78 and 79, communicating with the turbinechambers 80 and 81 above them through passages such as shown in the engine previously described. and operating by the impact of a body of mercury alternately acting on the turbine. wheels 82 and 83, constitute one engine; while the explosion chambers 84 and 85, turbine chan'ibers 86 and 87, and a second body of mercury acting on the turbine wheels 88 and 89 constitute a second engine having the same motor shaft 9() and operating through connections as those hereinbefore described to reciprocate a common` double valve 91 to admitl vapor to the explosion .chambers and exhaust the products of conibustioii therefrom. The valve arrangement. is a modification of that before described. and is such that when the valve is in the position ,shown in' Fig. lt', gas is admitted simultaneously to the outside chambers 78 and 85 through a chamber 92 around a re-- duced connecting-stein portion of the valve and a channel93. ports 94 and 95. and passages 96 and 97 communicating respectively with said chambers; while the products of combustion are exhausted from the inside chambers 79 and 84 through ports opening into a common passage 98 terminating at a port 99 in the valve casing which at the time is in communication through a bridging channel 100 with the exhaust passage 101. From this position of the valve, which is its extreme left hand position, the valve shifts to the right a sufhcient distance t0 cover the ports 94 and 95 when by suitable means, such as those before described, an explosion is caused in the chambers 78 and 85, the chambers 79 and 84 being still open to the exhaust passages. The valve then shifts to extreme right hand position, in which the port 99 communicating .with chambers 7 9 and 84 is in communication with the sources ofvapor supply, while the channel 100 connects the port 95 and chamber 85 with the exhaust passage 100, and a second channel 102 places the port 94 and chamber 78 also in communication with the exhaust. The valve next shifts to the left. a short distance to cover the port 99, when an explosion is caused in the chambers 79 and 8l, the chambers 78 and 85 still remaining open to exhaust.

l claim: l

1. A; motor of the character described and including casing members formed with a pair of separate turbine chambers, a turbine wheel in each chamber.v both wheels being connected to a common motor shaft.. a pair of explosion chambers respectively commuiiicating with inlets to said turbine chambers, a pair of separate cross passages leading respectively from the outlet of the two turbine chambers tothe opposite explosion chambers, a body of liquid arranged to circulate through said chambers and passages successively in one direction, and means for exploding charges of fue-l alternateiy in said explosion chambers.

Q. Amotor of the character described and including casing members formed with separate. turbine chambers arranged in pairs, turbine wheels in said chambers operatively connected to a common motor shaft, Pairs of explosion chambers corresponding to said turbine chambers respectively communicat ing witlihthe inlets to said turbine chambers, pairs of separate cross passages leading respectively from the outlet of each turbine chamber to the opposite explosion chamber of its pair, a. body of liquid in each pair of chambers and passages arranged to circulate` each chamber, both wheels being connected to a common motor shaft, a pair of, explosion chambers respectively communicating with inlets to said turbine chambers, a'valvegoverned cross passage leading .from the outlet of each turbine chamber to the opposite explosion chamber, a body of liquid arranged to circulate through said chambers and passages, and' means for exploding charges of fuel alternately in said explosion chambers.

4. motor of the character described and including casing members formed with a palr of turbine chambers, a turbine wheel in each chamber, both wheels being connectedA to a common motor shaft, a pair of explodisposed explosion chambers arranged below A plosion chamber, a body of liquid arrangedv said turbine chambers, -an. upwardly extend- -ing tubular conduit arranged in eachexplosion chamber with its open lower end adjacent the bottom of said chamber and forming a' passage communicating with the inlet to the turbine chamber thereabove, a Valvegoverned cross passage between the outlet of each turbine chamber and the opposite exto circulate through said chambers and passages, and means for exploding charges of fuel. alternately in said explosion chambers.

6. In a motor of the character described and having an upper casing member formed with turbine chambers and a lower casing member formed with explosion chambers, a partition plate separating the chambers in said upper and lower members, and provided with valve-governed cross passages connecting the outlet of each turbine chamber and th? toIp ofthe opposite explosion chamber.

a motor of the character described v and having an upper casing member formed with turbine chambers and a lower casing member formed with explosion chambers, a

,the lowest portions of said bottom walls being each formed with an opening and a connecting transverse passage communicating with the top of the opposite explosion chamber, and a check valve arranged in each transverse passage.

8. In a motor of the character described and having anupper casing member formed with a pair of turbine chambers, a lower casing member formed with'a pair of parallel explosion chambers and a pair of supply and exhaust passages extending through the casing parallel with said explosion chambers and in open communication therewith, corresponding ends of the two'passages being equipped with spark plugs, and valve means at the other ends of such passages for reversing the supply and exhaustconnections.,

9. In a motor of the character described and having'an upper' casing member formed with a pair of'turbine chambers, a turbine wheel in each chamber, both wheels being connected to a common motor shaft, a lower casing ymember formed with a pair of parallel explosion chambers and a pair of supply and exhaust passages extending through the casing parallel with said explosion chambers and in open communication therewith, corresponding ends of the two passages being equipped with spark plugs, valve means at the other ends of such passages operatively connected with the motor shaft for reversing the supply and exhaust connections, and timing means operated by said shaft for causing' sparks at said plugs. 'v

10. A motorl ofthe character described and comprising casing members formed with aV pair ofturbine chambers and a corresponding pair of explosion chambers, and passages connecting corresponding turbine and explosion chambers, and cross passages 'connecting opposite turbine and explosion chambers, said explosion chambers having supply and exhaust connections, turbine wheels in said turbine chambers, both wheels being connected to a common motor shaft, a supply of explosive vapor, a valve operatively connected with the lnotor shaft for i reversing said supply and exhaust connections to alternately supply vaporto said'h explosive chambers land exhaust spent products of combustion therefrom, and a timing means operated by said shaft 'for causing sparks at said plugs.

11. A. motor of the character described and comprising casing members formed with a pair of turbine chambers and a corresponding pair of explosion chambers, 'and passages connecting corresponding turbine and explosion chambers, and cross-passages connecting opposite turbine and explosion chambers, said explosion chambers having supply and exhaust passages; turbine wheels in said turbine chambers, both wheels being connected to a common motor shaft, a piston operatively connected with said motor shaft for compressing charges of explosive vapor,

, and a valve also connected with said motor shaft for governing the admission of such charges of vapor to the explosion chambers and comprising casing members formed with a pair of turbine chambers and a corresponding pair of explosion chambers, and passages connecting corresponding turbine and explosion chambers, and cross-passages connecting opposite turbine and explosion chambers, said explosion chambers having supply and'exhaust passages; turbine Wheels in said turbine chambers, both wheels being connected to a common motor shaft, a cam rotated by said motor shaft, a rocking lever operated by said cam, and a reciprocating valve operated by said rocking lever and arranged to govern the admission of explosive vapor to the explosion chambers, and the exhaust of spent products of combustion therefrom.

18. A motor of the character described ling charges of explosive vapor, a

and comprising casing members formed with a pair of turbine chambers and a corresponding pair of explosion chambers, and passages connecting corresponding turbine and eXplosion chambers and cross-passages connecting opposite turbine and explosion chambers, said explosion chambers having supply and eX- haust passages turbine wheels in said turbine chambers, both wheels being connected to a common motor shaft, a piston for compressdoublethreaded screw carried by the stem of said piston for reciprocating the'same, a rotating nut coperating with said screw, a sprocket connection intermediate the motor shaft and said nut, and a valve connected with said motor shaft for governing the admission of said charges of vapor to the explosion chambers andthe exhaust of spent products of combustion therefrom.

HAROLD H. TURNER. Witnesses:

LoUIs B. ERWIN, ROBERT DOBBERMAN. 

